Who Builds Your House?
I was reading a passage from Psalms 127 and it was like I had never read it before. The Spirit seemed to be saying this is important, listen to it. I was sitting in what I call our reading nook on the main floor of our home and this thought occurred to me, "Who is the builder of what we have here at LCC?" We gather at 455 S. Youngfield CT. in Lakewood, Colorado and go about taking care of our facility, conducting worship, teaching Bible classes, planning mission trips, working to add members to our little family here and so many other things. But is it our efforts that make LCC what it is? Are we truly the builders of the church here? It is good to remember who brought us here? Who brings the worlds downtrodden masses to us? We each have a
personal responsibility to go out into the world but are we the builders?
But is it our efforts that make LCC what it is?
God says this through King David "Unless the Lord is the builder of the house the builders labor in vain." (NRSV, Ps. 127:1) What did David mean by that? It is easy for Israel to see who is building their nation because the Lord shows them over and over how helpless they are without him. Gideon was told that he had too many men to attack an army of 135,000 men so God kept telling Gideon to send men home until he had only 300 fighting men. Imagine facing 135,000 fighting men with only 300. (Judges 7: 7) There are stories (whether true or not) of other armies overwhelmed by greater odds. In the case of Gideon God wanted Israel to know that it was he who fought the battles just like he wants us to know it is He who builds His house and His homes. Unless He is the builder neither our churches nor our homes will stand. In other words without God in our church and home we labor in vain.
Unless He is the builder neither our churches nor our homes will stand.
I tend to become so focused on this world's problems I forget who it is I worship whether I am at home worshiping in prayer or worshiping at the building. I fight the tendency to think only in terms of what I can see and do concerning both my actions concerning my personal family and my church family. On a personal note I am looking for a job to supplement my retirement income and I fight the tendency to loose hope. I sometimes forget the unimaginable miracles God performs throughout the Bible using ordinary men and women just like me. Impossible things that this world shrinks from but God's people embrace because they KNOW whom it is they worship. Israel watched as the cloud of dust signaling the approach of the Egyptian army grew imminently closer. Moses said this as the nation of Israel stood with their backs to the sea facing an army of thousands bearing down on them bent on their destruction, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” (NRSV, Ex 14:13–14)
Notice Moses said that they have only to keep still (and watch). There are times we are called to take action in the face of overwhelming odds, such as reaching the City of Lakewood for Christ or participating in a church event I feel inadequate to help with. Maybe the challenge is dealing with a difficult neighbor in a Christ-like manner. Then there are times we are called to keep still and watch what God can do. When we have done all we can do then it is time to let go and let God perform his miracles. One member had struggled with her relationship with her child and she had done all that she could to no avail. She told me she had given up on this relationship. I asked her if she was praying about it. She was but not consistently so I advised her to pray every morning and every night that God would open her heart to her daughter and that he would open her daughters heart. Two years later after we had praying for her and her daughter the daughter sent her a birthday card for the first time ever!
Both stepping out to accomplish an impossible task and standing firm requires faith in the builder of all things. We act or we keep still with the understanding that, "Unless the Lord is the builder of the house the builders labor in vain." I believe this applies both to home and church. Is the Lord the builder of your home/church? Unless He is the builder we labor in vain.
-Roy Jones